Grilling Safety Tips

Grilling is a great spring and summer pastime. It does not matter what you are grilling, whether it is chicken, beef or seafood, but safety does. There are general safety tips that apply to charcoal and gas grilling, but others that are specific to the method. It is important to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Bacteria will start increasing between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Gather your tools and other items ahead of time so the meat is brought out at the last moment and placed on the grill. Use a meat thermometer if you are not sure of the cooking time for a particular item. Most red meat should be cooked until there is no pink in the middle, around 160 degrees. Poultry has a higher cooked temperature of 165 to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. After cooking your items, place them on a clean dish. If you reuse a plate or bowl that held raw meat, the bacteria can get on your cooked items.

When using a charcoal grill, place enough briquettes or coals in the cooker to create a single layer that is one inch beyond the food being cooked. The method of stacking coals in a pyramid to light means that enough air will circulate to fully heat all the briquettes. They should burn until they are gray in color. Leaving some black when starting to cook can affect your temperature and cook times. Once you have started cooking, try not to raise the lid very often. The temperature inside the grill will vary. Using tongs instead of a fork will keep the juices inside the meat, which makes for a more tender meal. Trimming off excess fat before grilling will reduce the number of flare-ups. Other tips for minimizing flare-ups are to drain off excess marinade or oil and to remove the skin from chicken pieces. For a charcoal grill, you can spray water directly onto the coals or remove the food and sprinkle baking soda. It is not recommended to use a squirt bottle on a gas grill. Read the safety manual that came with your grill. Whether the cooker is gas or charcoal, it should be located in a clear, well-ventilated area outdoors. Do not lean over the grill when lighting because hair can catch on fire or a minor gas explosion can occur. Before using a gas grill, be sure to clear out all the vents and hoses of insects and webs. A pipe cleaner is a great tool for cleaning out the lines to your grill. An air compressor may also be used to blow out any debris. Be sure there are no leaks before using by placing soapy water on the connections. Make sure the propane container is in good shape. Keep it upright, even when transporting it and never place in an enclosed trunk. When you are finished cooking with a gas grill, turn off the main valve first. Turn the burner control valves off secondly to prevent gas from remaining in the system.